Springfield daily republic. [volume] (Springfield, O. [Ohio]) 1887-1888, 1887-07-20

Will W W iiSIt - w
nothing about that town OF the character OF
| It's products. but We have heard Of Spring
| ield and ot the high character Of its
work. We will take the Springfield
machine"
our true elements "f local prosperity are
the causes which have produced this state
of things What are they"
They are-hrst inventive genius and
>econd-s wontrrfui degree and extent of
business capacity. The inventive genius
was born. not made. The business capacity
is growth and an adaptation. We may
illustrate these general statements OF prin-
ciples BY alluding 10 and r.calling the career
OF the late James Leffel. Mr.. Letiel was a
plain man. who had the practical sense I"
confinr his thinking III certain lines. and to
think thoroughly and Systematically. He
had "A genius for such machinery a. Is
moved by water. lie had given much at
.ntisn Ia the introduction and develop
ment OF water power. He had scheme
for bringing Mad river. entire, into the city.
There was time when this would have
been a gigantic and productive enterprise.
| 'ltimately, Mr.. leffel, in his studies of
water wheels. found that there
were two turbines IN the world,
one moved by the introduction
of water into the center and the other by
the water coming into the exterior portion
nr rim of the wheel Each of these had
good features but neither was complete and
fully satisfactory. A flash Of inspiration
-Srmple aud direct-told Mr.. Lefel to
combine the two turbines. and in response
ie put one on top of the other making the
twain one. giving to the world its best water
wheel. the Leffel double turbine. There
are more oi these wheels in uSe-twice
over than of any other wheel in the world
Now the brain of James l4effel was Spring
ield feature with which no other city in the
world could compete. What are the tangi-
Die fruits of Mr.. Leffrl's brain work The
lnmense Leiiel shops in this city the Grand
nters house. one of the finest in the state:
the Book " alter block: the lagunda house
block 10 4 large drgree. We do do not
need Ia amplify this branch of the topic.
Bat let ii he borne in mind that Mr.. l.ttfel's
,rain work didn't pan out until a business
..apacity OF wonderful power and breadth
Iad been applied 10 the work OF introducing
aud pushing his douhleturbine.
We might 20 further in this direction.
Mr.. Letiel is not the only personal instance
md illustration of the general principle to
which We have alluded-perhaps not the
most iiluStrious and significant. We have
4 remarkable degree Of local inventive &c
'3lps aud locai administrative business abil-l
,ty THESE two qualities, with the -rsnss;;afs- MI &
don, or fan,e, which they Ave Ave xiyer, tn
springfield as a manatagt turing city. from
which comes nothing but the best. are the
real sources of her growth and prosperity.
These three features will keep her indus
tries moving right along. for fifty years.
without falter or a break, and make of
her great city, in dimeDsiors A. well as
in fame. And let il be understood that
this inventive genius i confined to any one
shop or cluster of shops; il aboundS. with
administrative ability, 10 a wonderful ex-
I ant in all of fifty 10 seventy shops. and is
something which capital cannot command
and which cannot be dug out of the ground
with derricks.
With these three features growing
ventive genius. increasing, and broadening
business ability and the good wilr' of the
town in the purchasing markets of the
world-we have elements of growth that put
tls hey yond outside competition and assure us
of a brilliant and established future. IL.
brick upon another, in Springfield factory.
and the territory occupied by workshops
was virgin soil. We would have-with what
capital We have here and other capital that
our circumstances would command. another
large and thriving city within a year. Il is
not brick walls, or houses, or even machine
shops that make city, but il IL meH-men
with brain and energy. These We have.
These Are our sources of power. These we
Ieed most 10 appreciate. cultivate and de-
veIope. No city i'll America, with 80, 900
people. has such group of men as We
have here. Their names are known, and
fayorahly known. in all lands. And We
have a group ot young men here who are
Vet 10 be known in all lands. In these lie
our hopes and expectations for the future